Binding 13

4

Faceplanting

Joh

With a great deal of effort and a surprising show of otherwise absent self-control, I managed to respect her wishes and walk her to the office – when all I wanted to do was scoop her up in my arms and run for help.

I was panicked and worrying, and every time she groaned or sagged against me, the higher my anxiety grew.

However, having spent the last ten minutes outside the principal's office, listening to Mr. Twomey rant and rave, I was all out of that precious patience.

Why wasn’t he taking her off me?

Why the fuck was I still standing outside his office holding up a half comatose girl?

He was the adult here.

"Her mother is on the way," Mr. Twomey a

"I already told you. It was an accident," I hissed while I continued to hold the girl up, keeping her small frame tucked into my side. "You need to get Majella to check her over," I repeated for the fiftieth fucking time, "I think she has a concussion."

"Majella is out on maternity leave until Friday," Mr. Twomey barked. "What am I supposed to do with her? I have no first aid training."

"Then you better call a doctor," I shot back heatedly, still holding onto the girl, "because I broke her fucking head."

"Watch your language, Kavanagh," Mr. Twomey snapped.

I rolled off the standard, "yes, sir," not really giving a shite and not feeling particularly sorry either for that matter.

My role in the rugby academy meant that I was given a lot of leeway in this school, a lot of preferential treatment that other students didn’t get, but I wasn’t going to push it on my first day back.

Not when I'd used up my quota by maiming the new girl.

"Are you okay, Miss Lynch?" Mr. Twomey asked, prodding her like she was an uncooked turkey he didn’t want to catch salmonella from.

"It hurts," she moaned, sagging into my side.

"I know," I soothed, pulling her closer. "I'm so fucking sorry."

"Jesus, Joh

"It was an accident," I bit out, angry now. She groaned and I made a conscious effort to lower my voice when I said, "I hardly meant to hurt the girl."

"Yes, well, tell that to her mother when she arrives," Mr. Twomey huffed. "She was already pulled out of Ballylaggin Community School for being verbally and physically attacked. And what happens on her first day at Tommen? This!"

"I didn’t attack her," I spat. "I made a bad kick."

Shifting her under my arm, I glared at the so-called authority figure.

"Hold up," I snapped, registering his earlier words. "What do you mean she was attacked?"

I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm.

Who could attack her?

She was so small.

And frail.

"What happened to her?" I heard myself ask, attention back to the principal.

"I think I'm going to fall," she croaked out, distracting me from my thoughts. Reaching up, she clutched my forearm with her small hand and sighed. "Everything's spi

"I won't let you fall," I automatically replied in a soothing tone. "It's okay." I felt her slip and pulled her upright, holding onto the tiny thing for all I was worth. "I've got you," I coaxed, tightening my arm around her. "You're good."

"Look, sit down with her," Mr. Twomey ordered, gesturing to the bench that lined the wall outside of his office. "I'll go and find a compress or something."

"You're leaving me with her?" I demanded, mouth hanging open. "Alone?"

The principal didn’t answer me.

Of course he didn’t, the fucking coward, because he was already miles down the corridor, desperate to get away from the type of responsibility he was paid to stand over.

"Spineless eejit," I growled under my breath.

Frustrated, I walked us over to the wooden bench.

Dropping her schoolbag on the floor, I carefully lowered our bodies onto the bench until we were sitting side by side.

I kept my arm wrapped around her bony little shoulders, not daring to leave her side for fear of her falling.

"This is just great," I tutted, sulking. "Fucking wonderful."

"You feel so warm," she whispered and I felt her cheek nuzzle against my bare chest. "Like a hot water bottle."

"Okay, you really need to keep your eyes open," I told her, panicked by her words.

Knees bouncing nervously, I turned her in my arms and caught hold of her face between my hands. "Hey," I coaxed, giving her face a little shake with both hands. "

“Hey…girl?" I added lamely because I didn’t even know her name. I'd almost killed the girl and I didn’t know her fucking name. "Open your eyes."

She didn’t.

"Hey – hey!" I said louder now. "Look at me." I shook her head. "Look at my face."

This time she did.

She opened her eyes and fuck me, I unintentionally sucked in a sharp breath.

Jesus, this girl was beautiful.

I'd noticed it earlier of course, she had a striking look about her, but now, seeing her up close like this and being able to count the freckles on her face – eleven by the way – it was hitting home just how striking she was.

Her blue eyes were big and round and fucking beautiful, with small hues of yellow dotting through them, rimmed with thick, long lashes.

I wasn’t even sure I'd ever seen that shade of blue before. It certainly didn’t shake anything up in the memory bank.

Hands down, she possessed the most gorgeous pair of eyes I'd seen in my life.

She had long, elbow-length, dark brown hair that was thick and curled at the ends.

And hidden behind the mountain of hair was a small, heart shaped face, smooth, clear skin, and a tiny dimple in her chin.

Perfect shaped, dark eyebrows that arched above those killer eyes of hers. A tiny button nose, high cheekbones, and these puffy, swollen lips.

Lips that were a natural rosy red color and kind of looked like she had been sucking on an ice pop or something – which I knew she hadn't because I'd spent the last half hour trying to keep her awake.

"Hi," she breathed.

I blew out a relieved breath. "Hi."

"That's really your face?" she asked, eyes drooping, as she studied me with a vacant expression. "It's so pretty."

"Uh, thanks?" I offered uncomfortably, still cupping her cheeks in my hands. "It's the only one I have."

"I like it," she whispered, "it's a good face," just before closing her eyes again, sagging forward.

"No, no, no," I coaxed, jolting her roughly. "Stay with me!"

Moaning, she blinked awake again.

"Good job," I praised with a heavy exhale. "Now stay awake."

"Who are you?" she croaked out, depending entirely on my hands to keep her head upright.

"I'm Joh

"Sha

I chuckled at her response.

"Well, Sha